King of the Castle - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jul 23, 2004

King of the Castle

Date: Jul 23, 2004

Shelboo will need another throne room. Though he has been dumping all over the dome and has a royal private loo in the new building section of Polymer, he may need a large palace to dump in over seas.

Date: Jul 23, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Curiousity killed the cat
"What happens with the French castle when Hudson leaves? Is it owned by USM?"

It's not a castle, it's an abbey. And it's owned by USM, to my knowledge.

Date: Jul 23, 2004

i'm not sure that USM owns it. given the difficulties in funding other building projects, i find it hard to believe we found the "bucks" to buy an abbey. i think there is some other arrangement, but i may be wrong (as i am constantly about USM).

Date: Jul 23, 2004

SCM,

From what I remember of the abbey negotiations when I was at USM, there was $$ put up by the town in France (Pontlevoy?) as incentive for USM to invest. I don't know much about the deal, but I did assume that USM put up some $$, too. I'm sure there are others who can chime in here that know lots more than I do about this.

Date: Jul 23, 2004

Truth, that's sorta what I remember too, that it was a joint venture.

Date: Jul 24, 2004

A real estate investor from Detroit, Michigan has invested in improvements and renovations of the Abbey having been encouraged by CICE to do so. It is my understanding that it is this investor who owns the Abbey property not USM or Tim Hudson. USM currently just "rents" space in the building. So CICE could also pull out at any time if it doesn't make money. Word is that the electric bill alone is astronomical. Although a novel academic experiment/concept, the Abbey program may not be viable in the very near future. One wonders how viable a similar program will be in Spain. It is supposed to open in the spring...

Date: Jul 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: shesays
"
A real estate investor from Detroit, Michigan has invested in improvements and renovations of the Abbey having been encouraged by CICE to do so. It is my understanding that it is this investor who owns the Abbey property not USM or Tim Hudson. USM currently just "rents" space in the building. So CICE could also pull out at any time if it doesn't make money. Word is that the electric bill alone is astronomical. Although a novel academic experiment/concept, the Abbey program may not be viable in the very near future. One wonders how viable a similar program will be in Spain. It is supposed to open in the spring..."

No wonder USM can't afford to run their golf course. With these kind of expenses they can't be making a profit.

Date: Jul 24, 2004

Usm does not own the castle. Hudson has just been leasing it from a freind of his to the tune of in excess of $500,000.00 anually. Numbers show it has been a drain on USM's cash flow.